The commercial fishing vessel that ran aground near Alaska’s Afognak Island, spilling thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into surrounding waters, was successfully towed to safety Friday September 5th, 2025, according to state environmental officials. The 120-foot F/V SEA ERN arrived at Kodiak Harbor at approximately 7 a.m., completing a…
The U.S. Coast Guard has ended its search for two individuals who were reported missing after a motorized catamaran capsized on Sunday night near Gold Beach, Oregon. A third individual present on the catamaran was rescued and taken to Gold Beach for medical assessment by local emergency services. Reports indicated…
Commercial fishing remains one of America’s most dangerous occupations, with fatality rates significantly higher than most other industries. The Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act, enacted following tragic losses at sea, establishes minimum safety requirements that can mean the difference between life and death. Here is a comprehensive guide for…
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday afternoon for prominent West Coast fisherman Joel William Kawahara, recipient of the 2009 National Fishermen’s Highliner of the Year Award. Mr. Kawahara disappeared while fishing alone off the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The extensive search covered more than 2,100 square miles…
The U.S. Coast Guard has officially suspended its search efforts for the missing fisherman off the coast of Newport, Oregon. At 4 p.m. Sunday, August 10th, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified that the 40-foot F/V DAS BUG had capsized in Yaquina Bay Jetty with four people aboard. A…
On August 5, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation released its report on the Titan submersible loss. The sub imploded in June 2023 while on a dive to the Titanic, killing all five people on board. The Report of Investigation (ROI), which is over 300 pages long,…
On Thursday, July 24, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a Canadian fisherman from his vessel approximately 180 miles off the coast of Astoria, Oregon. The rescue operation began shortly after 1 a.m. when the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Victoria, British Columbia, received an emergency call about a crew…
Alaska’s seafood industry is getting a significant boost in workforce development thanks to new state funding through the Technical and Vocational Education Program (TVEP). This initiative supports five key programs for both seafood harvesters and processors. For processors, the Alaska Seafood School will offer three programs focusing on crucial areas:…
The U.S. Coast Guard, working with multiple partner agencies, responded to a boat fire and subsequent sinking approximately one mile off the shore of Santa Cruz early Wednesday morning on July 17th, 2025. The F/V NAVIGATOR, a 45-foot vessel that had been fishing for squid, was at anchor when fire…
A 41-year-old crew member suffering from a fractured arm and possible head injury was successfully medevaced from a cargo ship located approximately 1,000 miles northeast of Oahu on July 19th, 2025. The bold rescue, coordinated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) Honolulu, brought the injured mariner to safety after…